Can washer



A. G. Dou'rHlT'r GAN WASHER Filed July 19, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 16, 1924. l

A. G. DouTHlT'r GAN WASHER Filed July 19, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 0' 9 M /7 /0n j/ /f//f Di i0 f' /A i j /m/Q' 0 /0 i 4 Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

UNITEDk STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT G. DOU'IHITT, 0F KENYON, MINNESOTA.

CAN WASHER.

Application led Ju1y 19, 1923. Serial No. 652,597.

l invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to vwhich it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a continuous power-driven washer for open-ended cans, the principal object being to produce a washer that can be installed in the feed line to a can filling machine, in such a manner that it will thoroughly wash the insides of the cans, both Water and steam being preferably used in the Washing operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a washer which is simple in construction, easy to install and operate, cheap to manufacture, and thoroughly eliicient for the purposes intended. i

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matterhereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a. can Washing machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 y's a vertical sectional View in a plane parallel with the side of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a ses of Fig. e.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane indicated by line 4.-4 of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the can feeding wheel.

In the drawings above brieily described, the numeral 1 designates a substantially cylindrical metal casinghaving a steam escape hood 2 at its upper side and a water outlet 3 at its bottom This casing is preferably, although not necessarily, constructed in the manner shown and includes a substantially annular Wall 4 having' inwardly turned side lianges 5, and a.' pair of sides 6 secured to said flanges` A plurality of circumferentially spaced track-supporting bars 7 extend between the outer4 edge portions of the sides 6 and preferably have outwardly bent ends 8 secured by screws or the like 9 to said sides andl to the flanges 5. These detail sectional view on line bars 7 serve as stiiening means for the casing, as well as supports for a pair of substantially annular tracks 10 for a purpose to appear.

A can feeding Wheel 11 is mounted within and concentric with theI casing 1,'upon a shaft 12, and any desired means, such as the gearing 13 and belt wheel 14, may be used for driving said wheel. The rim 15 of the wheel 11, in the present disclosure, is provided oIi its outer surface with a relatively wide annular metal band 16 havngan annular flange 17 at one edge. The band 16 is also provided with a plurality of circumferentially spared fins or lli hts 18 which co-act with the flange 17 in orming a plurality yof transverse can-receiving pockets at the periphery of the wheel, which pockets are open at their outer sides and at one end.

An annular track 19 is secured to one of the f casing sides 6 at the open ends of the-se pockets, and this track, together with the tracks 10 above described, retain the7 cans 'C in the pockets.

For feeding the cans into the pockets of the wheel 11, an inclined chute 2O is shown extending through an opening 21 in the asing wall ing provided with a curved sprin-g 22 which extends to a point adjacent the pockets and will prevent jamming of any of the cans as they are supplied to the Wheel. As the cans travel around in the casing, they are washed by the means hereinafter described, and are then discharged through a suitable outlet chute 23. l

For washing the cans, I prefer to employ both a water pipe 24 and a steam pipe 25, said pipe 24 having a nozzle '26 at one side 4, the upper` side of said chute' e-` of the casingr for discharging water into the y thereof, it will be seen that a. machine is prof vided which will eliectively carry out the objects of the invention,- and as excellent results may be obtained from the general structure disclosed, it is preferably followed, but within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous minor changes may be made.

I claim:

1. A Washing machine for open-ended cans comprising a rotatable can vfeeding wheel having transverse peripheral pockets closed at one side of the wheel and ropen at the other side thereof to expose the open ends of the cans, a cylindrical casing Wall around the Wheel having a. can inlet and an outlet, flat casing sides at the sides of the Wheel secured to said Wall, track-supporting bars extending between and secured to said sides at the .peripLeryo-f the Wheel, substantially annular track-bars secured to said first named bars .to retain the ,cans in said pockets, and means for forcing a cleaning medium into the cans during their travel from the inlet to the outlet.

2. A Washing machine for open-ended cans comprising a-rtatable can feeding Wheehan annular band surrounding the rim of said wheehsaid band being equipped with a marginal radially extendingflange and being further provided With circumferentially spaced `fins forming a plurality of transverse can-receiving pockets, a casing in which sa-id'wheel is confined, track-supporting bars secured lto the peripheral Wall of said casing inside of the latter and eX- tending Itransversely thereof, substantially annular track-bars secured -to said iirst named bars and forming transversely7 spaced tracks, and means for conveying "a cleaning Huid into the open lend's of the cans during their travel in said casing.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ALBERT G. DOUTHITT. 

